Tick, Tick, Tick, Boom

A fruitful update, 3 new beers from the list ticked off, a couple of decent outsiders, including one cracker. First up the beers from the list:

Beer 176 from “1001 Beers...”

• Green King Strong Suffolk Ale. Style: Old Ale. ABV: 6%. Purchased: The Vineyard

  
  Description: Dark brown, translucent, basically no head. Aroma of ripe fruit and figs (maybe some prunes?), a little toasted malt, burnt caramel, and a fair bit of booze. Sticky and sweet tastes, ripe fruit. Mid to full bodied, with a coating sticky mouth feel – no fizz.
  Thoughts: Despite my expectations (a clear glass bottle is generally not a good sign), this wasn't bad. Sticky and sweet; a sipper rather than a gulper. Not sure I would buy it again, but it had a good sweet boozy hit.
  Score: 6.5
  
  

Beer 177 from “1001 Beers...”

• Nils Oscar God Lager. Style: Helles. ABV: 5.3%. Purchased: Tesco

  
  Description: Poured a pale straw colour, clear, small white head, and surprisingly flat looking. Not much aroma; lager yeast with a little citrus fruit in the background. Sweet flavours, a little grainy, some fruit, and no real bitterness to speak of. Light with next to no carbonisation.
  Thoughts: I'm not a huge fan of lagers generally, but I think Helles are really tasty. This was light, refreshing, and easy drinking. Really decent session lager.
  Score: 6.5

Beer 178 from “1001 Beers...”

• Augustier Lagerbier Hell. Style: Helles. ABV: 5.2%. Purchased: LightHouse Wines

  
  Description: Poured very light yellow, clear, with a big white head. Again not a huge aroma; lagery. Tasted much like the God Lager, but maybe a little more bitterness and not as sweet. Light bodied, but this had a good fizz.
  Thoughts: Another good Helles, the bitterness gave this a slight edge on the God Lager. Tasty; though I think their Edelstoff was better,
  Score: 7

Beer 95 outside the list

• Brooklyn Sorachi Ace. Style: Saison. ABV: 7.8%. Purchased: LightHouse Wines

Description: Comes lovely big wine bottle with a cork and cage. Pours bright yellow and hazy; big white head. Lots of citrus and soft fruit aromas, a little floral hoppiness in the background. Subtle and soft flavours, again lots of fruit, a little pepper/chili bite, buttery (some vanilla too?), and a nice bit of lemon rind thrown in for good measure. Light and fizzy; hides its ABV very well but still has a nice warming sensation from the alcohol.
Thoughts: Loved it. Close your eyes, and this could be a tasty aged Chardonnay, but one with a nice peppery finish. I presume it's the champagne yeast that gives it the vinous quality. Not cheap but worth every penny.
Score: 8.5


Beer 96 outside the list
• Aecth Schlenkeria Weizen Rauchbier. Style: Rauchbier. ABV: 7.5%. Purchased: LightHouse Wines
  
  Description: Light brown and cloudy; big white head. Unfiltered and unpasteurised. Lots of woody smoke on the nose, not much else getting through. Taste follows the smell; woody, smoky, but a bit lighter and less hammy than their Marzen. Mid bodied; creamy.
  Thoughts: Great stuff again from Aecth Schlenkeria. Overall I think I preferred the smoked bacon of the Marzen - but this might be slightly easier drinking.
  Score: 7

Cheers